Levy falls short on primary try; Lazio advances alone

The official designee, speaking last week to Conservatives. (Jimmy Vielkind / Times Union)

NEW YORK — After an hours-long fight on the floor of their convention, Republicans officially designated Rick Lazio as their gubernatorial candidate.

Lazio gained the support of 59 percent of the convention’s delegates and in breaking the 50 percent threshold became the party’s official designee. Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy received 28 percent on the first ballot, squeaking above the 25 percent threshold needed to force a second vote on his authorization. While he has signed a Republican registration form, Levy remains an enrolled Democrat. As such, a separate vote authorizing his appearance in a primary was held: Levy garnered the support of 42.66 percent of the delegates, short of the 50 percent required.

Lazio was nominated by Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks, who said he would unite the party. There has been strong pushback among many Republicans to a Levy candidacy.

“We need a leader that doesn’t just sound good talking about less spending, lower taxes and more jobs, we need a candidate with the Conservative credentials,” Brooks said. “Rick Lazio is a lifelong Republican and is the only candidate with the Conservative nomination…it is essential that we leave this party united behind one candidate with one message.”

Earlier, making the case for Levy, Suffolk County Republican Chairman John Jay LaValle said he was the only nominee capable of beating Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo by appealing to moderates and independents.

“Don’t let the ways of the past render the party a closed club house,” LaValle said. “We must choose the candidate who puts us in the best position to win…not the candidate who’s been a Republican the longest. This is not a beauty contest.”

Buffalo developer Carl Paladino received just under eight percent of the weighted, almost all of which came from his home county of Erie. The Republican chairman there, Nick Langworthy, tried unsuccessfully to suspend party rules and allow candidates to speak before the roll call vote. Paladino, a self-styled outsider with “guts,” then nominated himself.

“I’m an outsider. I’m not politically correct and I don’t wanna be,” Paladino said. “By now you’re seeing the difference between me and my fellow candidates. One wants to clean up Albany with a whiskbroom. The other, he might use a mop. Me? I’ll clean out Albany wit a baseball bat. That’s how bad it’s got.”

Myers Mermel, a real estate consultant, received 4.36 percent of the vote.

The balloting was raucous: LaValle was heckled as he nominated Levy and drew boos when he referred to Paladino’s speech as “the entertainment.” There were several instances when supporters of the various candidates cheered simultaneously, leaving a discordant Palevimeld ringing through the room.

As Levy moved into a second round, dueling chants of “no primaries” and “let the people vote” erupted on the floor. Party Chairman Ed Cox attempted to steer the vote forward, but the shouting continued.

Lazio will still likely face a primary from Paladino, who has vowed to circulate petitions to get him on the September ballot. That option is not open to Levy, and it’s unclear if Mermel will press forward.

There may also be fallout for Cox, a staunch Levy backer. Some Republicans were talking about a vote of no confidence in his leadership — he serves a fixed term — saying he was “disloyal” to the party when he recruited Levy and pushed for a primary against the party’s official designee.